Digital Commons Network^™

The Body Size Dependence Of Trophic Cascades, John Delong, Benjamin Gilbert, Jonathan B. Shurin, Van M. Savage, Brandon T. Barton, Christopher F. Clements, Anthony I. Dell, Hamish S. Greig, Christopher D.G. Harley, Pavel Kratina, Kevin S. Mccann, Tyler D. Tunney, David A. Vasseur, Mary I. O’Connor

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Trophic cascades are indirect positive effects of predators on resources via control of intermediate consumers. Larger-bodied predators appear to induce stronger trophic cascades (a greater rebound of resource density toward carrying capacity), but how this happens is unknown because we lack a clear depiction of how the strength of trophic cascades is determined. Using consumer-resource models, we first show that the strength of a trophic cascade has an upper limit set by the interaction strength between the basal trophic group and its consumer and that this limit is approached as the interaction strength between the consumer and its predator increases. …

Gender Inequality In The World And Its Implications, Marianna Khachaturyan, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Worldwide one in three women will be abused sexually or will encounter physical violence during her lifetime (Human Development Report (HDR), 2014). That amounts to about 1.2 billion women. Although gender-related abuse and violence exist everywhere, the issues that come to mind when contemplating gender inequality in high-income countries are usually related to job opportunities, career advancement, or wage disparities. In many developing countries, gender inequality is a much more severe problem; it is manifested in health disparities, limited access to education, and even in the violation of human rights.

Structure And Functional Characterization Of A Bile Acid 7 Alpha Dehydratase Baie In Secondary Bile Acid Synthesis, Shiva Bhowmik, Hsien-Po Chiu, David H. Jones, Hsiu-Ju Chiu, Mitchell D. Miller, Qingping Xu, Carol L. Farr, Jason M. Ridlon, James E. Wells, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center-Andre Elsliger, Ian A. Wilson, Phillip B. Hylemon, Scott A. Lesley

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Conversion of the primary bile acids cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) to the secondary bile acids deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA) is performed by a few species of intestinal bacteria in the genus Clostridium through a multistep biochemical pathway that removes a 7a-hydroxyl group. The rate-determining enzyme in this pathway is bile acid 7a-dehydratase (baiE). In this study, crystal structures of apo-BaiE and its putative product-bound [3-oxo-D4,6- lithocholyl-Coenzyme A (CoA)] complex are reported. BaiE is a trimer with a twisted a+b barrel fold with similarity to the Nuclear Transport Factor 2 (NTF2) superfamily. Tyr30, Asp35, and …

Sturgeon In The Sacramento–San Joaquin Watershed: New Insights To Support Conservation And Management, A. Peter Klimley, Eric D. Chapman, Joseph J. Cech Jr., Dennis E. Cocherell, Nann A. Fangue, Marty Gingras, Zachary Jackson, Emily A. Miller, Ethan A. Mora, Jamilynn B. Poletto, Andrea M. Schreier, Alicia Seesholtz, Kenneth J. Sulak, Michael J. Thomas, David Woodbury, Megan T. Wyman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The goal of a day-long symposium on March 3, 2015, Sturgeon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Watershed: New Insights to Support Conservation and Management, was to present new information about the physiology, behavior, and ecology of the green (Acipenser medirostris) and white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) to help guide enhanced management and conservation efforts within the Sacramento–San Joaquin watershed. This symposium identified current unknowns and highlighted new electronic tracking technologies and physiological techniques to address these knowledge gaps. A number of presentations, each reviewing ongoing research on the two species, was followed by a round-table discussion, in which …

Simultaneous Cr(Vi) Reduction And Methylene Blue Removal By Bacillus Sp. Jh2-2 Isolated From Mining Site Soil, Jaehong Shim, Patrick Shea, Jeong-Muk Lim, Byung-Taek Oh

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A Bacillus sp. strain (JH2-2), isolated from soil at an abandoned mine site, reduced Cr(VI) to Cr(III) under aerobic conditions. At pH 7, the strain reduced essentially all of the Cr(VI) in M9 minimal medium to Cr(III) at initial concentrations ≤50 mg Cr(VI) L⁻¹ within 100 h. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the Cr(III) precipitate matched chromium (III) hydrogen phosphate (CrH₂P₃O₁₀∙2H₂O). The JH2-2 strain showed high tolerance to other heavy metal (loid)s, with minimal inhibitory concentrations in liquid medium of (mg L−1): As (500), Cd (100), Cu (350), Ni (300), Zn …

Nephrotoxic Contaminants In Drinking Water And Urine, And Chronic Kidney Disease In Rural Sri Lanka, Tewodros Rango, Marc Jeuland, Herath Manthrithilake, Peter G. Mccornick

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Chronic kidney disease of unknown (“u”) cause (CKDu) is a growing public health concern in Sri Lanka. Prior research has hypothesized a link with drinking water quality, but rigorous studies are lacking. This study assesses the relationship between nephrotoxic elements (namely arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and uranium (U)) in drinking water, and urine samples collected from individuals with and/or without CKDu in endemic areas, and from individuals without CKDu in nonendemic areas. All water samples—from a variety of source types (i.e., shallow and deep wells, springs, piped, and surface water)—contained extremely low concentrations of nephrotoxic elements, and all …

Assessment Of Village Chicken Production Systems In Kambata Tambaro And Wolaita Zones, Snnpr, Ethiopia, Aman Getiso, Fitsum Tessema, Mesfin Mekonnen, Addisu Jimma, Bereket Zeleke

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The study was conducted in four woredas (Damot Gale,Of a, Angacha and Hadero Tunto) the first two of them found in Wolaita zone and two of them in Kambata Tambaro Zone of SNNPR, Ethiopia respectively. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the study areas to assess village chicken production systems, productive and reproductive performance of village chicken and identifying constraints to village chicken production. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 240 farming households and administer a pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The results showed that the mean age of interviewed farmers was 37.8±9.3 years; average family size & chicken …

Daily Soil Surface Co2 Flux During Non-Flooded Periods In Flood-Irrigated Rice Rotations, J. M. Motschenbacher, K. R. Brye, M. M. Anders, E. E. Gbur, N. A. Slaton, M. A. Evans-White

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 And Salmonella In Camels, Cattle, Goats, And Sheep Harvested For Meat In Riyadh, Joseph M. Bosilevac, Mustafa A. Gassem, Ibraheem A. Al Sheddy, Salah A. Almaiman, Ibrahim S. Al-Mohizea, Abdullah Alowaimer, Mohammad Koohmaraie

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella are significant foodborne pathogens that can be found in the feces and on the hides of meat animals. When hides are removed during the harvest process, the carcass and subsequent meat products can become contaminated. Camels, cattle, sheep, and goats are harvested for meat in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella are unknown in these animals, and it is assumed that if the animals carry the pathogens in their feces or on their hides, meat products are likely to become contaminated. To this end, a minimum of 206 samples …

Efficacy Of Antimicrobial Compounds On Surface Decontamination Of Seven Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Inoculated Onto Fresh Beef, Norasak Kalchayanand, Terrance M. Arthur, Joseph M. Bosilevac, John W. Schmidt, Rong Wang, Steven Shackelford, Tommy L. Wheeler

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Several antimicrobial compounds have been used in commercial meat processing plants for decontamination of pathogens on beef carcasses, but there are many commercially available, novel antimicrobial compounds that may be more effective and suitable for use in beef processing pathogen-reduction programs. Sixty-four prerigor beef flanks (cutaneous trunci) were used in a study to determine whether hypobromous acid, neutral acidified sodium chlorite, and two citric acid–based antimicrobial compounds effectively reduce seven Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroups and Salmonella on the surface of fresh beef. Two cocktail mixtures were inoculated onto prerigor beef flank surfaces. Cocktail mixture 1 was composed of …

Fungal Morphogenesis, Xiaorong Lin, J. Andrew Alspaugh, Haoping Liu, Steven D. Harris

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Morphogenesis in fungi is often induced by extracellular factors and executed by fungal genetic factors. Cell surface changes and alterations of the microenvironment often accompany morphogenetic changes in fungi. In this review, we will first discuss the general traits of yeast and hyphal morphotypes and how morphogenesis affects development and adaptation by fungi to their native niches, including host niches. Then we will focus on the molecular machinery responsible for the two most fundamental growth forms, yeast and hyphae. Last, we will describe how fungi incorporate exogenous environmental and host signals together with genetic factors to determine their morphotype and …

The Role Of Ethylene In Plant Responses To K+ Deficiency, Daniel P. Schachtman

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Potassium is an essential macronutrient that is involved in regulating turgor , in driving plant growth, and in modulating enzyme activation. The changes in root morphology, root function, as well as cellular and molecular responses to low potassium conditions have been studied in the model plant Arabidopsis and in other plant species. In Arabidopsis ethylene plays a key role in roots in the transduction of the low potassium signal, which results in altered root function and growth. The first clues regarding the role of ethylene were detected through transcriptional profiling experiments showing changes in the expression of genes related to …

Development And Validation Of A Social Cognitive Theory-Based Survey For Elementary Nutrition Education Program, Elisha Hall, Weiwen Chai, Wanda Koszewski, Julie A. Albrecht

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: The Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) is a widely used model for developing elementary nutrition education programs; however, few instruments are available to assess the impact of such programs on the main constructs of the SCT. The purposes of this study were: 1) to develop and validate a SCT-based survey instrument that focuses on knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy for fifth grade students; 2) to assess the relationships between knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy; and 3) to assess knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy for healthy eating among the fifth grade students.

Methods: A 40-item instrument was developed and validated using content validity …

Status Of The World’S Baleen Whales, Peter O. Thomas, Randall R. Reeves, Robert L. Brownell Jr.

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

No global synthesis of the status of baleen whales has been published since the 2008 IUCN Red List assessments. Many populations remain at low numbers from historical commercial whaling, which had ceased for all but a few by 1989. Fishing gear entanglement and ship strikes are the most severe current threats. The acute and long-term effects of anthropogenic noise and the cumulative effects of multiple stressors are of concern but poorly understood. The looming consequences of climate change and ocean acidification remain difficult to characterize. North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales are among the species listed as Endangered. Southern …

Investing In Prospective Cohorts For Etiologic Study Of Occupational Exposures, A Blair, C J. Hines, K W. Thomas, Mcr Alavaja, L E. Beane Freeman, J A. Hoppin, F Kamel, C F. Lynch, J H. Lubin, D T. Sliverman, E Whelan, S H. Zahm, D P. Sandler

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

Prospective cohorts have played a major role in understanding the contribution of diet, physical activity,medical conditions, and genes to the development ofmany diseases, but have not been widely used for occupational exposures. Studies in agriculture are an exception. We draw upon ourexperience using this design to study agriculturalworkers to identify conditions that might foster use of prospective cohorts to study other occupational settings. Prospective cohort studies are perceived by many as the strongest epidemiologic design. It allows updating of information on exposure and other factors, collection of biologic samples before disease diagnosis for biomarker studies, assessment of effect modification by …

Bioaccumulation Of Stentorin, The Probable Causative Agent For Discolored (“Purple”) Eggs And Ovaries In Blue Catfish (Ictalurus Furcatus) From Eufaula Lake, Oklahoma, Usa, Robert W. Gale, Diana M. Papoulias, Christopher J. Schmitt

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Observations of reddish to “purple” discolored eggs in the ovaries of adult female blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) from the northern arm of Eufaula Lake, a eutrophic multiuse impoundment in east-central Oklahoma, were first reported in 2006. Blue catfish eggs are normally cream to light yellow. Reports peaked in 2007−2008 and declined through 2009−2010; purple eggs have not been reported between 2010 and 2014. In the laboratory, all tissues and fluids of affected fish were strongly orange-red fluorescent under UV illumination, with the fluorescence most apparent in the lipid-rich ovaries and eggs. The causative agent was isolated chromatographically and confirmed by …

Use Of Terrestrial Field Studies In The Derivation Of Bioaccumulation Potential Of Chemicals, Nico W. Van Den Brink, Jennifer A. Arblaster, Sarah R. Bowman, Jason M. Conder, John E. Elliott, Mark S. Johnson, Derek C.G. Muir, Tiago Natal-Da-Luz, Barnett A. Rattner, Bradley E. Sample, Richard F. Shore

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Field-based studies are an essential component of research addressing the behavior of organic chemicals, and a unique line of evidence that can be used to assess bioaccumulation potential in chemical registration programs and aid in development of associated laboratory and modeling efforts. To aid scientific and regulatory discourse on the application of terrestrial field data in this manner, this article provides practical recommendations regarding the generation and interpretation of terrestrial field data. Currently, biota-to-soil-accumulation factors (BSAFs), biomagnification factors (BMFs), and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) are the most suitable bioaccumulation metrics that are applicable to bioaccumulation assessment evaluations and able to be …

The U.S. Army Person-Event Data Environment: A Military–Civilian Big Data Enterprise, Loryana L. Vie, Lawrence M. Scheier, Paul B. Lester, Tiffany E. Ho, Darwin R. Labarthe, Martin E.P Seligman

United States Army: Publications

This report describes a groundbreaking military–civilian collaboration that benefits from an Army and Department of Defense (DoD) big data business intelligence platform called the Person-Event Data Environment (PDE). The PDE is a consolidated data repository that contains unclassified but sensitive manpower, training, financial, health, and medical records covering U.S. Army personnel (Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard), civilian contractors, and military dependents. These unique data assets provide a veridical timeline capturing each soldier’s military experience from entry to separation from the armed forces. The PDE was designed to afford unprecedented cost-efficiencies by bringing researchers and military scientists to a single …

Does Body Mass Index Misclassify Physically Active Young Men, Tyson Grier, Michelle Canham-Chervak, Marilyn Sharp, Bruce H. Jones

United States Army: Publications

Objective. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the accuracy of age and gender adjusted BMI as a measure of body fat (BF) in U.S. Army Soldiers.

Methods. BMI was calculated through measured height and weight (kg/m²) and body compositionwas determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Linear regression was used to determine a BF prediction equation and examine the correlation between %BF and BMI. The sensitivity and specificity of BMI compared to %BF as measured by DEXA was calculated.

Results. Soldiers (n=110) were on average 23 years old, with a BMI of 26.4, …

2015 Interior Least Tern And Piping Plover Monitoring, Research, Management, And Outreach Report For The Lower Platte River, Nebraska, Mary Bomberger Brown, Lauren R. Dinan, Joel G. Jorgensen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Abstract:

This document reports on our monitoring, research, management, and outreach activities during the past 12 months (2014–2015). We prepared it to inform our partners, cooperating agencies, funding sources, and other interested parties of our activities and to provide a preliminary summary of our results.

The lower Platte River and its major tributaries provide important nesting and migratory stopover habitat for two bird species of special conservation concern: the state and federally endangered Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos) and threatened Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). The Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership (TPCP), based at the University …

Drougthscape, Winter 2015, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

Contents

Director’s report

Central U.S. 2012 report

October-December drought summary

2014 drought summary

Caribbean capacity building

Drought impacts in 2014

California timeline 2014

UC Davis ranching workshop

NASA SMAP data

Global drought info system

Community Capitals

Evaluation and assessment

Indicator-impact research

NDMC on YouTube

Evaluation Of Rhizoctonia Zeae As A Potential Biological Control Option For Fungal Root Diseases Of Sugar Beet, K M. Webb, R. M. Harveson, M S. West

Panhandle Research and Extension Center

Several common root diseases routinely damage sugar beet in Nebraska and other production areas of the Central High Plains, and it is becoming more common to find fields infested simultaneously with multiple pathogens. Owing to the shortage of available fungicides for economic management of soilborne diseases, alternative techniques such as biological control are increasingly being sought for disease management. Over the last several years, unidentified, sterile fungi have been isolated in conjunction with pathogens from infected sugar beet roots and seedlings. At least two promising isolates have been identified from in vitro assays that inhibit the radial growth of multiple …

Bacterial Wilt Of Dry-Edible Beans In The Central High Plains Of The U.S.: Past, Present, And Future, Robert M. Harveson, Howard F. Schwartz, Carlos A. Urrea, C. Dean Yonts

Panhandle Research and Extension Center

Bacterial wilt, caused by Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, was first recognized and described as a new dry bean disease near Redfield, South Dakota, after the 1921 growing season on the farm of the Office of Forage Investigations. The grower on this farm informed the federal investigators that he believed the disease to be the same one that killed 90% of his crop in 1920. For the 1921 season, he saved and planted the seed harvested from the previous year, resulting in an estimated 25% loss.

. . .

It is likely that wilt has “reappeared” and become widely established throughout …

Corn Residue Stocking Rate Affects Cattle Performance But Not Subsequent Grain Yield, L. A. Stalker, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Jennifer A. Gigax, A. L. Mcgee, T. M. Shaver, S. J. Van Donk

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

This study investigated effects of stocking rate on cattle performance, quality and quantity of corn residue, and impact of residue removal on grain yield for 5 yr at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln West Central Water Resources Field Laboratory near Brule, NE. Four removal treatments—1) no removal (control), 2) grazing at 2.5 animal unit month (AUM)/ ha, 3) grazing at 5.0 AUM/ha, and 4) baling—were applied to a center pivot–irrigated corn field (53 ha). The field was divided into eight 6.6-ha paddocks to which replicated treatments were assigned. Samples of residue were collected in October and March (before and …

Five-Year Growth Report: From Inception To Global Influence 2010 - 2015, Robert B. Daugherty Water For Food Institute

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Administrative Materials

While we are proud of our accomplishments in building an institutional framework, we are even more proud of our institute’s initial work to build an impact-driven program. This work is indeed the central focus of this report. Through the leadership of our new directors for research and policy, we have begun to build a vigorous research and policy development program that includes engagement with both local and global stakeholders. We have also developed a strong set of collaborations with national and international partners, striving to achieve a balance between work in Nebraska and globally, including in India, Brazil, China and …

Ec872 Crop Budgets - Nebraska 2015, Robert Klein, Roger G. Wilson, Jessica Johnson

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

2015 Crop Budgeting Procedures • Table 1 Power Unit Cost Data Used for 2015 Budgets • Table 2 Machinery Cost Data Used for 2015 Budgets • Table 3 Material Prices Used for 2015 Budgets • Table 4 Conversion of Diesel to Electricity, Propane, Gasoline, and Natural Gas • Table 5 Table for Adjusting the Amount of Diesel Fuel Required for Center Pivots for Lifts and Pressures other than the 125 Feet of Lift and 35 psi Used in the Budgets

1 Alfalfa, Fall Establishment, Dryland • 2 Alfalfa, Roundup Ready® No-Till, Fall Establishment, Dryland • 3 Alfalfa, Roundup Ready®, Fall …

Toward A More Accurate Estimate Of The Prevalence Of Hepatitis C In The United States, Brian R. Edlin, Benjamin J. Eckhardt, Marla A. Shu, Scott D. Holmberg, Tracy Swan

United States Public Health Resources

Data from the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicate that about 3.6 million people in the United States have antibodies to the hepatitis C virus, of whom 2.7 million are currently infected. NHANES, however, excludes several high-risk populations from its sampling frame, including people who are incarcerated, homeless, or hospitalized; nursing home residents; active-duty military personnel; and people living on Indian reservations.We undertook a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature and sought out unpublished presentations and data to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C in these excluded populations and in turn improve the estimate of the number of …

Nicotine Replacement Therapy And Other Interventions For Pregnant Smokers: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2009–2010, Martha Kapaya, Van Tong, Helen Ding

United States Public Health Resources

Background. Current U.S. guidelines recommend consideration of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for pregnant smokers if behavioral therapies fail, only under close supervision of a provider, and after discussion of known risks of continued smoking and possible risks of NRT. The percentage of pregnant smokers offered NRT by their prenatal care providers is unknown.

Purpose. The study aims to calculate the percentage of pregnant smokers offered cessation intervention and NRT and assess independent associations between selected maternal characteristics and being offered NRT.

Methods. Data were analyzed from the 2009–2010 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System from four states that asked about provider …

Trends In Gestational Weight Gain: The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2000-2009, Jonetta L. Johnson, Sherry L. Farr, Patricia M. Dietz, Andrea J. Sharma, Wanda D. Barfield, Cheryl L. Robbins

United States Public Health Resources

OBJECTIVE: Achieving adequate gestational weight gain (GWG) is important for optimal health of the infant and mother. We estimate current population-based trends of GWG.

STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System for 124,348 women who delivered live infants in 14 states during 2000 through 2009. We examined prevalence and trends in GWG in pounds as a continuous variable, and within 1990 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations (yes/no) as a dichotomous variable. We examined adjusted trends in mean GWG using multivariable linear regression and GWG within recommendations using multivariable multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS: During 2000 through …

Styrene-Associated Health Outcomes At A Windblade Manufacturing Plant, Anna-Binney Mccague, Jean M. Cox-Ganser, Joshua M. Harney, K. Udeni Alwis, Benjamin C. Blount, Kristin J. Cummings, Nicole Edwards, Kathleen Kreiss

United States Public Health Resources

Background: Health risks of using styrene to manufacture windblades for the green energy sector are unknown.

Methods: Using data collected from 355 (73%) current windblade workers and regression analysis, we investigated associations between health outcomes and styrene exposure estimates derived from urinary styrene metabolites.

Results: The median current styrene exposure was 53.6 mg/g creatinine (interquartile range: 19.5–94.4). Color blindness in men and women (standardized morbidity ratios 2.3 and 16.6, respectively) was not associated with exposure estimates, but was the type previously reported with styrene. Visual contrast sensitivity decreased and chest tightness increased (odds ratio 2.9) with increasing current exposure. Decreases …